A Day in My Life: Meet Earl Ruffin, CMA

Carbon Health Editorial Team
October 21, 2021
3 mins

At Carbon Health, we pride ourselves on providing a seamless patient experience for everyone who walks through our doors. That’s no easy feat, and we wouldn’t be able to pull it off without our dedicated team of medical assistants, who keep our clinics running smoothly and always put our patients first.  

We asked Earl Ruffin, a certified medical assistant at our Long Beach Carbon Health clinic since July 3, 2020, to give us a look at a day in his life. From COVID-19 testing and patient support to spending quality time with his team, Earl and his colleagues work tirelessly to make sure our patients are getting the care they need, and they do it with big smiles (behind their masks, of course).

Carbon Health Editors: You have been on the frontlines administering COVID-19 vaccines at the Hansen Dam location in the San Fernando Valley and at our mobile sites. Can you tell us about that experience? 

Earl Ruffin: I was involved with the COVID-19 immunization team here in Los Angeles from the beginning. The people who volunteered truly believe in doing the hard work to get shots in people’s arms.

CHE: What surprised you the most about working at the vaccination site? 

ER: I’ve worked with many nurse grads during the vaccination project. To see them learn and use their freshly learned skills in a practical way lets me know we are leaving this profession in good hands.  

CHE: What do you think the future of healthcare will look like once the pandemic has passed?

ER: The future will be more hands-on, include more tests, and have more preventive procedures in place to promote health concerns. More hard questions will be answered, and there will be more communication, for sure. We, as medical professionals, need to be able to reach the public and educate them on the facts.

CHE: What have you learned about your coworkers during COVID?

ER: This entire process has made us all incredibly humble. No one knows everything, and we can all learn something new from everyone. That alphabet soup of initials after your name doesn’t mean you have all the answers.

CHE: How does Carbon Health make your job easier? 

ER: The constant innovation within this company is never-ending in a great way. The app-based medical records are ahead of the times. Having lab results, vaccine status, and appointment bookings just a click away makes everything so much easier. 

A Day in My Life: Earl Ruffin, CMA

Starting the day off with kisses and cuddles from his two kids: Angel, 1, and Israel, 6. 
After 12 years of marriage, wife Tina is still Earl’s biggest fan. 
Clinical manager Christina Nguyen, PA-C, and coworker Dana Marcotte, PA-C, are all smiles under their PPE (personal protective equipment).
Dana and Earl test out the office equipment before seeing patients.
Earl runs COVID-19 rapid tests through the machine. The Long Beach clinic tests about 100 patients a week. 
Entering notes at the end of a busy day.
Goofing around with Israel after retiring his scrubs for the day.
Oldest daughter, Daisha, 25, comes by for some quality family time.
Some more precious cuddles before it’s time for bed.

Carbon Health is hiring medical assistants and other clinicians! Check out open positions now.

Carbon Health Editorial Team

The Carbon Health Editorial Team is a group of writers, content creators, and thought leaders who are here to empower you to take charge of your health.

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